3 Deaf People Who Stunned The World

Disabilities often puts people at a disadvantage. A lot of people who have a disability find limited capacity in many aspects of their lives because of the challenges that their disabilities bring. This makes those who are able to overcome their disabilities even more admirable and inspiring, especially when they achieve so much more than other people who do not have the same disabilities.

According to the World Health Organization World Report on Disability, about 15% of the world’s population live with some form of disability and over 5% of the world’s population has a disabling hearing loss. This translates to around 360 million people who are deaf. If you are one of those and you are looking for some inspiration, here are some notable deaf people.

1. Thomas Edison

The person considered to be the most famous American inventor suffered from hearing problems when he was a child until he went completely deaf in his teenage years. Being deaf actually helped Edison concentrate on his work which includes invention of the lightbulb and the phonograph.

2. Ludwig van Beethoven

Probably one of the most popular deaf people, what makes Beethoven’s achievements impressive is that it is in the field of music. He started to lose his hearing at the age of 26 until he went completely deaf when he was around 52. However, this did not stop him from creating some of his most important works such as his Ninth Symphony, Fifth Symphony, Fur Elise, and Moonlight Sonata.

3. Francisco Goya

A Spanish romantic painter, Goya is considered one of the most important artists of the late 18th up to the early 19th century. Later in his life, he suffered from an illness that left him deaf. Being an artist, his work became more bleak and darker. Still, he continued creating amazing works of art including some religious art and historical art.